The group's executive director, Janice Obuchowski, who has been
mentioned as a possible future Federal Communications commissioner,
said "we have had 88 megahertz of spectrum lying fallow," referring
to a swath of the 700 megahertz band occupied by broadcasters.

Once television signals are switched to digital from analog,
that spectrum would be freed up. Auctioning parts of the spectrum
to the private sector for use in advanced telecommunications
services could bring in $US20 billion ($A25.75 billion) to
$US30 billion to the government, Obuchowski estimated.

"Not only will (the spectrum) lead to viable competition to
existing broadband providers, it will also reach far into rural
areas, at relatively low cost, giving consumers in underserved
areas broadband options that they have never had before," Intel
chief executive Craig Barrett said.

Public safety officials have also said that the September 11,
2001, terrorist attacks highlighted the need for additional
spectrum to allow emergency first responders to communicate.

The coalition backs efforts by House Commerce Committee chairman
Joe Barton to set a firm transition date of December 31, 2006.
Under current law, the digital transition will occur on that date
but with the critical caveat that 85 per cent of homes be ready to
receive digital signals either by owning a digital television or
converter box. Barton wants to drop that caveat.

Barton said recently he hopes to have legislation ready soon.
His committee is also considering broad changes to the US
telecommunications laws.

Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin said at
a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Tuesday that no
region yet met the 85 per cent threshold, and "it doesn't look like
we're going to meet 2006 on the path we're heading."

Transition proponents say that without the urgency that comes
with a firm date, the transition could drag on for many years.

However, making changes to people's television sets is fraught
with political risk, especially if a good chunk of the population
sees their sets go dark after the transition date.

In a letter on Wednesday to Barton and other House Commerce
Committee leaders, National Association of Broadcasters chief
executive Edward Fritts said local broadcasters "are strongly
supportive of efforts to bring this transition to a timely
end."

"However, we also agree with many members of Congress who have
expressed concern that a premature end to analog television would
be terribly disruptive to millions of Americans," Fritts added.

"A country that put a man on the moon and is now eyeing Mars
should have no problem getting converter boxes to 15 per cent of
the population" that depend on over-the-air broadcast signals for
their TV, Obuchowski said.